Very few: Legends who have won the ICC player of the year awards

Australian captain, Steve Smith has been adjudged the 11th winner of the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for ICC player of the award. He has also won the ICC Test player of the year.

Smith has been the highest run scorer of the year of the 2014-2015 season. He scored 1476 runs at an average of 67.09. He scored six hundred and four fifty. He hit a double hundred at Lord’s Test during Australia 2-3 Ashes urn lost to England. Smith’s ODI performance has played an instrumental role in Australia ODI success. He scored 1072 runs at an average of 90.

He is only the 7th cricketer who won the both Test player and ICC player of the award in the same year.

ICC conducted a vote for the winner of each award during 18 September 2014 to 13 September 2015.

Smith has become fourth Australian cricketer to win the Sir Garfield award after Ricky Ponting, Mitchell Johnson and Michael Clarke. Ponting is the only Australian cricketer and the first captain had been adjudged the winner of the Sir Garfield award.

Smith has also won the ICC World Cup under the captaincy of Michael Clarke. Today he has joined the seventh elite list of cricketers who have won the ICC Test player of year award.

Here is the list of players who have won the Sir Garfield Sobers award

Rahul Dravid (2004)

The former Indian captain had been known as the wall of Indian middle order for his impeccable defensive skill. He had the ability to defend the fast bowler on his foot. He has ended his illustrative career as one of best Test batsman of all time. 2003/04 season was the best of his Test career. He scored 1241 runs in 9 matches. The season was comprised of tough Australia and Pakistan tour. He scored two double hundred in the year. His 233 at Adelaide and 270 at Rawalpindi are the two greatest innings of his career. India had won the both Tests.

He has adjudged the Test player of the year and was given the Sir Garfield awards for his remarkable innings that helped India to draw the 2003/04 Australia tour and clinched the Test series in Pakistan.

Andrew Flintoff and Jacques Kallis (2005)

Kallis arguably the greats ever allrounder of international cricket. But, in the early years of 2004, he found his competition in Andrew Flintoff, another great allrounder who had lost the interest in the game. In the 2003/04 cricket season, he played seven matches and scored 343 runs at an average of 34.30. He has also taken 20 wickets with a fifer against West Indies at Bridgetown. England had won the four series out of five.

On the other hand, Jacques Kallis has taken 12 wickets of nine match. But, with the bat in hand, he was in devastating form. He scored 1166 runs at ana average of 89.69. He hit five hundred and three half-centuries. Kallis had won the Test player of the year as well in the same year.

Ricky Ponting (2006-2007)

The former Australian captain Ricky Ponting had won the ICC player of the year award twice in his career. He has won the award in 2006 and 2007. He was in his rollicking from. In ODI, he scored 1483 runs in 12matches at an average of 78.5. In ODI, he scored 920 runs at an average of 93.21. The season is also included the historic match at Johannesburg where South Africa surpassed Australia mammoth 434 runs. In 2007 also, Ponting’s ODI average was 89 plus.

Ponting has won the Test player award in 2007.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (2008)

One of the most underrated Test batsmen in world cricket. He scored 11867 at an average of 51.37. He did not even got a celebrity status in his own country Guyana. But, cricket can’t deny his achievement. 2008, even in the decline of The West indies, he has been adjudged the Sir Garfield Sobers award for his plethora of brilliant innings. In the two consecutive years, his average was 100 plus. In 2007 he played 4 matches scored 558 runs at an average of 111.60 and in 2008 he scored 909 runs at an average of 101.00.

Sachin Tendulkar (2010)

The master of modern era batting Sachin Tendulkar was the main protagonist behind India’s success in Test ranking. In the 2009-10 season, he played 7 Tests and scored 674 runs at an average of 84.25. Sachin’s ODI batting also set India’s domination in World Cricket. In 14 ODIs he scored 703 runs at an average of 63.29. He was the first cricketer to scored a double hundred in ODI. He won the heart of cricket fans for his double hundred.

Mitchell Johnson (2009&2014)

The retired Australian pacer has been adjudged player of the year two times in his career. In the 2008-2009 season, he took 60 wickets in 12 Test and in ODI he took 22 wickets off 13 matches. In 2014, his performance against South Africa at home and away was the most fascinating. He has taken 59 Test wickets off 8 Tests.

He is the only bowler who has won the player of the year award.

Jonathan Trott (2011)

In 2010-2011 season Trott has scored 445 Test runs. But it is his ODI performance that earned him the award. He scored 797 runs at an average of 81.24. He made his debut in 2009, started his career with promise and flourished fast, but it also ended very fast because he failed to cope with sledging in Australia.

Kumar Sangakkara (2012)

The Sri Lankan batting legend was adjudged player of the year in 2012. Sangakkara was the foundation of Sri Lankan batting order till he announced his retirement in 2015. In 2011/12 season he played 8 Tests and scored 731 runs and in ODI, he played 24 matches nad scored 932 runs at an average of 78.38.

Sangakkara has also won the Test player of the year award.

Michael Clarke (2013)

The former Australian captain Michael Clarke had been adjudged player of the in 2013. Clarke is the second Australian captain who won the both Test and ICC player of the year in the same year.

Sports Crazy man, Live in cricket, Love writing, Studied English journalism in Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Chose sports as the subject for study, Born 24 years ago during the 1992 Cricket world cup. When he is not writing love to watch movies and reading books and novels.

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